Inspired by interviews conducted by the playwright over several years, I
Am My Own Wife tells the fascinating story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf,
a German transvestite who managed to survive the rise and fall of the Third
Reich as well as the post-war Communist regime.

I Am My Own Wife is a striking solo performance; a portrayal of more
than 40 characters, including the controversial figure herself, and the American
writer who became intrigued with her.

Behind the Scenes

When the Nazis were looting Jewish homes during World War II, Charlotte followed
with a junk cart, rescuing lamps, bronze busts and recordings of banned composers
such as Mendelssohn and Offenbach. During the Cold War — when the Russians
threatened to destroy a Weimar-era cabaret in Berlin's red light district —
Charlotte rescued each table, each cane-back chair, each faded menu and each
bottle of liquor, hiding them all in her basement. In room after room of her
home-grown museum, she kept a fractured, tumultuous country intact.

Did You Know?

Doug Wright won an Obie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Playwriting for
his play Quills. He went on to write the screenplay adaptation, making
his motion picture debut. The film was named Best Picture by the National Board
of Review and nominated for three Academy Awards.